Quiet Superstitions
by Semblance of Sanity
Summary: "So what? So I've got a smile on, but it's hiding the quiet superstitions in my head. Don't believe me, don't believe me, when I say I've got it down." - John Mayer::Unrelated and maybe not chronological moments from the life and marriage of Dorea Potter, nee Black. In which Dorea and Charlus are not Jame's theoretical parents.
1. Arranged

It began, as all arranged marriages did, with a serious discussion. "You are of age now, Dorea," Father told me.

"The Potter's are a very wealthy family," Mother assured a spot on the wall over my shoulder. "You'll be taken care of."

I met Charlus two weeks later. He kissed my hand and we made small talk on the back porch, while our parents watched covertly from the sitting room window.

After several failed attempts at conversation, Charlus sat upon the porch railing and ran a hand through his already messy hair. "Merlin, I wish they would just stop watching us."

I smiled, my first real one all day. "Dreadfully nosy, aren't they?"

"Indeed. We've already signed the contract. I can't imagine what they are waiting for."

"For us to fall in love, I'm sure." I kept my face straight, and pushed down the blush that threatened to stain my cheeks.

"What? Already?" He gaped at the window accusingly. "We've only just met!"

Charlus sounded so offended I burst out laughing. "You know, I don't think I will hate you."

He smiled. "No. Me either."

* * *

_Written for Card Number Two in the Tien Len Competition, and Much Ado About Nothing in the Inspiration by Shakespeare Challenge. _


	2. Infidelity

The _Daily Prophet_ was waiting for me at breakfast, tucked smartly in the corner of the table. I took a sip of my tea as I picked it up, and was confronted with the image of my husband walking hand in hand with a yellow haired witch through the halls of the Ministry. My orange juice splattered over my breakfast and the glass shattered at my feet.

"Charlus!" I screamed, and Evie, our house elf, rushed to my side to clean up the mess. "Charlus!" I pushed away from the table and nearly ran into him under the dining room arch. I shoved the newspaper under his nose.

He blinked at the picture of himself before rolling his eyes and pushing my hand away. I snatched the paper back and read the front page headline of the _Daily Prophet_.

"Head of the Department of Mysteries Caught in His Third Affair."

He ignored me, stepping around the mess I'd made of my breakfast. I continued reading. "Less than two years after the tragic death of son Griffin Potter, Charlus Potter is spotted in the halls of the Ministry with yet another mistress. Rose Armund, secretary at the Department of Muggle Artifacts, has been Potter's mistress for weeks, sources say."

I stopped and glared at him, but he just buttered his toast.

"The two often meet secretly during lunch breaks. This is third confirmed affair since the death of two year old Griffin Potter. Is this a belated reaction to the tragedy? Or is this Potter's attempt to regain the spotlight he became accustomed to, following the death of Griffin -"

"Stop."

I looked up, blinking back the acid bite of my tears. Charlus had his head in his hands. "Stop," he repeated, in little more than a whisper. "It's - It's not _that_, you have to know." He finally met my eyes, and I saw tears rolling down his face. "It's not that."

We stared at each other for a long while. "Just another arranged marriage gone wrong."

Charlus flinched at my tone, and the resentment crept back into his eyes. "Oh, please. Don't act like you are the victim in all of this."

I frowned. "I'm sorry; I forgot about the horde of whores that I hide in my closet."

"Don't go there."

"Where else is there to go? Oh, perhaps to how you let our son - " I bit my tongue, instantly wishing to take the words back. His heart broke in his eyes.

"That's not fair."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"I was there for you, you know. Every early morning, every nightmare."

"I know." I put my hand over his, but he ripped it away.

"But you forgot that I was hurting too. I lost my _son_, Dorea, and I thought it was my fault. You just forgot about me." He stood up and walked from the room, turning back in the doorway. "I'll keep it out of the papers, from now on."

"Thank you."

* * *

_Thanks to Red (TheNextFolchart) for being an uber helpful beta!_

_Written for the Tien Len Competition. Also for the fire quote: "And how do we relight the flame when it's cold?" -Godsmack, "Serenity" for the War of the Elemental Song Quotes Comp, and Othello in the Inspiration by Shakespeare Challenge. _


	3. Don't Tell Dorea

The wedding ceremony was a blur of white and forced smiles. Looking back, the only moment I can recall with any clarity was the moment Charlus grabbed my shaking hand at the altar. "You look beautiful," he whispered, and I thought maybe I wouldn't mind kissing him.

I was surrounded by well-wishers immediately afterwards, then pulled from table to table, conversation to conversation, dance to dance. Everyone had advice about childrearing, marriage, the honeymoon, our first night together. To this day, I remember none of their advice, and I don't think it a loss. Who is Mrs. Ivis, with her three kitten-drowning, psychopathic boys to tell me how to raise my children? Or Mrs. Neven, with her perverted, cheating husband, to tell me how to keep my marriage together?

I concluded, quite some time ago, that a wedding reception is little more than women trying to outboast each other, and men trying to outdrink each other.

Late into the night, Charlus' mother pressed a potion into my hand and pointed me toward the bar, where Charlus was currently trying to seduce a barstool. He perked up as I approached and tugged him out of the room.

"Hey," he greeted smoothly, ruining the effect with a hiccup. "You takin' me somewhere private?"

I blushed, knowing exactly what he was thinking. "No, I'm going to sober you up."

"Aw, come on. I'm no fun when I'm sober."

I laughed. "You are lots of fun, and still a gentleman."

I handed him the potion in the hall, and he frowned at it uncertainly. He looked left and right in exaggeration, and then leaned close to me. "Don't tell Dorea," he whispered loudly. "But I'm nervous for tonight."

I blinked. "Whatever for?"

"Shh!"

I smiled, and whispered, "Sorry. Whatever for?"

He shifted unsteadily on his feet. "What if she doesn't like me? What if I can't, ya know, please her?"

I blinked again, my face on fire. He frowned at a point above my shoulder for a long while. "Charlus," I told him, nudging the potion closer to his face. "Dorea likes you just fine. She's never slept with anyone either, so you can learn together. Okay?"

He nodded slowly. "Don't tell her?"

"I won't."

He nodded again, patting my shoulder in comradery before tipping the potion into his mouth. He blinked as it took effect.

"Oh, hey, Dorea."

* * *

_Written for the Tien Len Competition, and just the Tien Len Competition. _


	4. Push

I only remember snippets, mostly pain and bits of dialogue that I wish I could take back.

"Push, Dorea!"

"I am pushing, goddammit!"

Charlus exchanged looks with the Healers. "I - I don't think we need to swear, dear -"

"I HAVE A WATERMELON BEING EJECTED THROUGH MY VAGINA AND YOU PUT IT THERE."

"Yes. Alright. Fair enough."

I felt terrible about it afterwards, and even wrote all of the Healers apology letters.

The pain was excruciating, and lasted for an eternity. 12 hours in, I was sobbing hysterically and Charlus fell asleep in the bathroom.

He came out when I started screaming, and was by my side in time to let me break his hand as the head came out.

_"Keep pushing, Dorea, you are doing great! Almost there!"_

I screamed, Charlus screamed, and then the baby screamed. Charlus took one look at him and buried his face in my chest, sobbing.

"You did great, oh Merlin, it's a boy, oh Merlin, babeyoudidwonderful, I love you so much, I love you so much, I love you so much," he babbled.

Griffin cried when I held him the first time, but I didn't mind, because we were all crying.

"Hi, Griffin," Charlus sniffled, kissing his forehead, then mine, then Griffin's again. "Oh, he's beautiful."

"Well, we all know where he got that from," I teased. Charlus laughed, wiping his face. "I'm sorry for yelling. And hurting your hand."

"Oh, Merlin, no. Don't ever apologize to me. He's beautiful. I love you."

Mother held Griffin while I kissed my husband.

* * *

_Written for the Tien Len Competition. Also for "__Selcouth" and "Marcid" of the Interesting Words Challenge, EARTH: I know the world's a broken bone. -Panic! at the Disco, "Northern Downpour" of the War of the Elemental Song Quotes Comp, and Nebula for the Star Light, Star Bright Challenge. _


	5. Different Starts

"Well? Is he handsome?" Cassiopeia grabbed my hands and spun me from the doorway.

"_Very_," Mother gushed as she entered behind me.

Cassi clapped her hands excitedly. "Oh, I can't wait to meet him."

"You better keep Cassi away from your beau, 'Rea." Marcus nudged Pollux and the two snickered.

I blushed. "He's not my beau."

"Why do I have to stay away?" Cassi demanded. My brothers cackled some more, and Pollux stood up and made an obscene gesture with his hips. My face turned red, while Cassi and Mother started screaming at him.

"What is the meaning of this?" Father appeared in the doorway with angry eyes.

"Your son is being crude!" Mother told him, and Cassi burst into tears.

"I'm not a whore."

Marcus blinked. "I didn't say you were! I - we meant that _Charlus_ is."

"Impossible," Mother declared, but I worried that it might not be so. "He looked at Dorea as if she was the first woman he had ever laid eyes on!"

Pollux laughed. "Or he just really liked the way she looks in that dress."

"Shut up." I felt the urge to cover myself, even though my dress was very modest. Cassi put her arm around my shoulders.

"And anyway," Marcus chimed in. "That doesn't mean the rumors aren't true."

Father crossed his arms over his chest with a frown. "What are these rumors, exactly?"

Marcus blushed. "Uh, you know. Just that he f -"

Mother chucked a pillow at his head. "Language!"

"Ow, sorry! It's just that he _sleeps with_ lots of girls."

Pollux leaned forward with a grin. "I heard he slept with all the girls in his year."

Cassi laughed. "All of them? Most of them were dopey and disgusting."

Marcus scowled. "Just the hot ones."

"Alright, enough of this nonsense," Mother declared. "Dorea is already scared enough as it is. I don't want to hear another word of this. Is that understood?" She pointed her finger at Pollux and Marcus and they rolled their eyes, but nodded. "Good."

Cassi rubbed my back. "I'm sure he's not a man-whore, 'Rea."

I forced a smile and nodded, but we both knew I didn't believe her.

* * *

_Written for the Tien Len Competition. Also for "ze__mblanity" and "__videnda" in the Interesting Words Challenge, and "You came from different starts and you'll come to different ends" for the Delirium Challenge._


End file.
